It is not often that the Navy Cross, the nation's second highest medal for
heroism, is awarded. When the recipient is a Mineman, the occasion is rarer still. Mineman
First Class, Cecil H. Martin received the honor at the Naval Schools Mine Warfare,
Charleston, S. C. on 5 September 1969.
Rear Adm. Douglas C. Plate, Atlantic Fleet Mine Force pinned the medal on Martin's
jumper.
Petty Officer Martin, with 11 years
service in the Navy, played an important role as the commander of a two boat patrol with
River Division 531 in Vietnam. While in the Mekong Delta on the night of 21 November 1968
Martin's patrol came under heavy attack from ambush. His cover boat was hit by two rockets
aboard and causing the craft to run aground directly in front of enemy positions. Finding
himself beyond the center of attack, Mineman Martin ordered his coxswain to reverse course
to rescue the besieged crew. Re-entering the ambush area under increasing enemy fire, and
while directing effective and tallying counter fire, Mineman Martin directed his boat
to position between the helpless cover boat and the blazing enemy shore batteries.
He then directed rescue operations and at crucial intervals personally manned a machine
gun to suppress enemy fire. Boarding the disabled craft, he extinguished fire and
helped transfer the casualties to his boat. While maintaining contact with the Naval
Operations Center, and advising of the attack, he directed a success full withdrawal and
rendered first aid to the wounded.

A native of Grandville Township, Illinois, and a veteran of 11 years in
the Navy, Mineman Martin
is currently attached to the Naval Schools Mine warfare as a student in the Mineman
Class "B" course. We resides in Charleston, S. C. with his wife, the former
Kazuko Yamamotto of Yokohama, Japan, and two children, Regina and Toby. He enlisted in the
Navy on 23 July 1958 and completed his recruit training at NTC, San Diego, Calif. He was
initially assigned to the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Va., from 28 Oct 1958 to 24 Apr
1959 as a student. Ordered to the Naval Schools Mine Warfare to attend the Mineman Class
"A" school, he graduated as Honor man, first in his class, on 30 Oct 1959. He
returned to the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Va., for duty form 16 Nov 1959 until 1
Nov 1960. From Yorktown he transferred to the Naval Ordnance Facility, Yokosuka, Japan,
where he served until 7 Nov 1962. From there he went to COMINERON Seven at Long Beach,
Calif., and served until 30 Aug 1963. He served from 19 Sep 1963 to 30 Aug. 1966 at the
Naval Air Station. Atsugi Japan. From 3 Oct 6 to Feb 1968 he was attached to the Naval
Ordnance Facility, Yokosuka, Japan. From 28 May 1968 to 24 May 1969 it was duty with
River Squadron Five in Vietnam as a patrol boat captain. In addition to the Navy
Cross, Mineman Martin has earned the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with
Bronze Star, purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service
Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
In the words of the citation:

"His great personal
valor in the face of heavy and sustained enemy fire was in keeping with the highest
traditions of the United States Naval Services."